Generation of a reflected wave in an inhomogeneous medium

Abstract

In this work we present the results of calculation of the electric field distribution in the inhomogeneous media based on the generalized WKB method. In this approach the field is represented as the sum of two components, one of which is associated with the right-travelling WKB solution and the other with the left-travelling WKB solution. It has been shown that the second component is not a left-travelling nonuniform wave. Calculation results showed that the phase distribution of this component has an increasing character, similar to the phase distribution of the right-travelling wave component. Obtained results can be useful during the development of dielectric accelerating waveguides. The obtained results may also indicate the location where a semiclassical particle with energy greater than the barrier height can reflect from a smooth potential barrier.